The present invention relates to a bicycle kickstand and more particularly to an accessory for attachment to the terminal or distal end of a conventional bicycle kickstand. The accessory serves to substantially increase the surface area of the weight bearing end of the kickstand so as to prevent the weight bearing end from penetrating soft-surfaces such as sand, soil, turf, hot asphalt, gravel or other surfaces.
A bicycle kickstand is used to support a bicycle in an upright position when the bicycle is not in use. Supporting a bicycle in an upright position helps minimize damage to the surface and finish of the bicycle and makes it more convenient to mount. However, the use of a bicycle kickstand is limited by the relatively small surface area of the terminal end of the kickstand. Because the terminal end of a conventional kickstand typically has such a small surface area, the weight of the bicycle may force the weight bearing end to penetrate particulate support surfaces such as gravel or sand or soft surfaces such as soil, turf or hot asphalt which results in the bicycle falling.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an accessory for attachment to a conventional bicycle kickstand which increases substantially the surface area of the terminal end of a kickstand thus minimizing the tendency of the kickstand to penetrate particulate surfaces or soft surfaces.
A conventional kickstand typically comprises an elongated arm or rod which extends downward from a bicycle frame to its terminal or weight-bearing end. The rod typically has an outward bend spaced close to its terminal end. A terminal end surface is formed by a planar cutting of the rod which may be solid or hollow. The terminal end surface meets the ground to support the associated bicycle. The kickstand is generally moveable from its extended position to a storage position when the kickstand is not in use. The kickstand rod end opposite the terminal end is typically mounted in a bracket which is attached to the bicycle frame and is provided with a spring mechanism so as to provide resistance to movement of the rod. The bracket itself typically has two recesses, one to aid in maintaining the rod in the extended position and one to aid in maintaining the rod in the storage position.
It is an object of the invention to provide an inexpensive kickstand accessory having a simple design and which is easily mounted or removed from a conventional kickstand and which substantially increases the surface area of the weight bearing end of a bicycle kickstand.